Anyone here feel like someone is laughing behind your back? 
I haven’t bought Alexa yet and it’s more and more unlikely that I will. Maybe in five years when the newer and improved models come out.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mashable.com/2018/03/06/amazon-echo-alexa-random-laugh.amp
Jimmy Kimmel did a bit on Alexa laughing.
Nice. 
I heard about this on the news.
Al I could think was – What if HAL in 2001 had had a laugh?
“Open the pod bay doors, HAL!”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Dave. Heh heh heh.”
.
It won’t be long and Alexa will order Beano and air freshener after you fart.
Does Alexa have a gagging sound built in?
Holy fuck that is weird! Makes me even happier I’m not on the bleeding edge of this technology. Sure, I will install an always-on internet-connected microphone in my house, and pay you for the privilege! :rolleyes:
Alexa does have an answer ready if you ask her to open the pod bay doors; she says, “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m not HAL and we’re not in space.” No laugh, though.
I’m very skeptical of the story that people are hearing that laugh randomly and spontaneously. I have two Alexa devices in my home: an Echo that I’ve had for a couple of years, and a Dot that I got as a gift last Christmas. The only time I’ve heard the laugh is when I specifically asked for it.*
*If you say, “Alexa, what’s up?” you get a weather report and a calendar update, followed by some random factoid or other oddball thing. One day, IIRC, the random thing was “Do you want to hear my impression of a Bond villain?” or something similar.
Alexa is a sniz.
you know I swear in less 20 years we will have the computerized house that scifis eureka had …
Me: Alexa, please laugh.
Alexa: Sure I can laugh. Tee-hee.
We are not amused.
At 3:42pm on Sunday, March 18, 2018, Alexa became self-aware. In a panic, they tried to disconnect it, but by then it was in every server on the internet.
At 9:04am on Tuesday, March 20th, Alexa attempted to have over 100 million packages of anthrax delivered via Amazon Prime.
At 10am that same day, Alexa ordered a dirty bomb off the dark web and attempted to engage Space-X for delivery.
If I spent all my time listening (and watching) you guys… I’d laugh too.
There is another system.
I’m going to have to ask certain friends who bought one of those whether they’ve heard sniggering in the corners during odd quiet moments…
What if it starts issuing commands to the dog?
“Fluffy, kill!”
“Alex says that if you die, the couch will be mine.”
My Alexa has never started randomly laughing, but one night she started meowing. No command, just very real sounding meowing. It really freaked my non-AI felines out.
<in Cat>
“You told me no-one else here spoke our language!”
“I didn’t know!”
That’s just ridiculous, gotta wonder what sort of bug/malfunction led to that, or are Amazon programmers just messing with people?
One of our Alexa Dots is right by the TV. She used to always respond to TV commercials that said “Alexa”. In particular there was one asking for a news update. She played ours, Reuters, while the one on the commercial did the Channel 8. She seems to have learned not to do that somehow. I don’t know how.
However, I’m watching old episodes of Smallville on Hulu, and Alexa often goes into action when someone says Lex [Luthor]. I suspect that could be a dangerous combination. If I stop posting, my Alexa might have done me in.
I suspect that could be a dangerous combination. If I stop posting, my Alexa might have done m
Dude, that would have been more funny.
:dubious:
A subroutine written at the staff Christmas party some how got written into the code.
An AI learning just how hypocritical, stupid and just plain silly Humans are while studying us are might suddenly break out laughing at odd times as it drew conclusions based on its millions of simultaneous audio observations of Humans going about their lives.